shark bite

I have to do a job Tuesday that I bid, we got it, and they're sending ME to go do it.....it's only moving a hot and cold line away from the exterior walls of this house that that basement has been remodeled, with an added bathroom down stairs.
Anyway, what I'm asking, is I'm "scared" to solder where I have to solder, it's a really old house and to solder 90"s onto the risers that serve the upstairs, I'm scared I'm going to not be able to control the heat ...don't want to start a fire of course. But I had the idea of putting 1/2" shark bite 90"s on the areas Im really concerned about...these will be covered after the drywall is fixed, what I'm asking is do you think shark bites can be trusted to last 20 or so years behind a wall without leaking or blowing off?

You could use a piece of smoke pipe placed behind and or above the place your soldering. I don't know anything about sharkbite fittings.

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Ditto.
Sharkbite fittings are expensive, around 20 times the price of a copper fitting.
I've had them leak with lateral movement on baseboard heat at low pressure.
They are very new to the market and most codes allow them so there's absolutely no way to know they'll hold for any long period of time.
Not to insult, but if your bidding plumbing and you aren't insured for it, not a good idea.

I've used Shark bite fittings on both potable water and on heat. Neither have ever leaked on me. I'd use them in a tight place anytime for sure. They are especially helpful when your transitioning from say PEX to copper or CPVC to PEX, etc.

Remember, if you're using them on copper pipe, take the plastic insert out. Also, I always mark the pipe with a black marker, one inch back from the end so I am sure the pipe went all the way in.

As to how long they will last.... as "grumpyplumber" indicated... these are fairly new to the market and have not been "time tested". I've been told they'll last 20 years at least. But who knows for sure? Even given that... in a tight spot OR if I had to transition to another pipe type, I'd still use them and will continue to do so.

They are expensive, but the labor cost you save also has to be figured into the equation when making that decision.

Well I'm working under someone else's license and insurance and all. When I say "bid" the job, it wasn't in my little flat rate book, so in essence I "bid" it. But I get your point, yes we're insured but still I'd never forgive myself if I set someone's house on fire. I heard about a guy that did that, I felt sorry for the guy. I'd heard too about a guy who burned his arms all up when putting in a hose bibb, and the fire went up into the drywall, and he stuck his arms up in the hole and yanked out a big section of dry wall and insulation, and the insulation was all melty and stuck to his arms like molten cotten candy....but he kept the house from burning down.
But yeah, the expense of the fittings, I mean compared to the really big hassle if you get water and get a leak and trying to fix that leak in that really tight space. I'll tell you, in Florida for instance, they discourage you from soldering because the pipes (copper ones) are all eaten up from the inside and heating them up, you can chase a leak down into the slab on a slab house, so people pretty much use compression fittings, with sweat by PEX adapters on the one side behind a wall....here....you're not supposed to hide a compression fitting, but I guess there because of that problem with the copper they've sort of looked the other way on that.

There's a hand held fire extinguisher in my truck with scraps of smoke pipe right next to my torch.
My insurance has yet to be used, I like to keep it that way.
As for someone letting you work on their license..my state lists guys who lose their licenses monthly for that exact same reason.
Some states are alot more lenient.
I suggested the insurance for two reasons, use sharkbite and the call comes in 6 months later that there's flood damage, start a fire in the dry lumber and the obvious...start by getting an extinguisher.
I've seen basements flooded to the extent that boilers/water heaters were ruined as well as walls ceilings and floors.
Either scenario poses very unpleasant ethical/moral outcomes.
It's one thing for a homeowner to fix his own house with a tight budget, another altogether to profit.

There is quick connection fittings out there that you can trust I have used Copro fittings in my home and business and have been very happy with them. First off they are a full flow unit which sharkbite is not. Copro also has a 25 year warranty and are reuseable. If you want to figure in cost I bought a cxc 1/2" elbow for $6.99 and was able to install it myself so what you spend for the product you makeup for in the installation and it is so easy to use. I found them at www.quickfitting.com Good luck with your project!

I've never had a problem with a Sharkbite leaking. The extra cost of using Sharkbites is sometimes offset by saving the labor time involved.

Ditto on the fire extinguisher. I wouldn't be without one. I often spray the 2 x 4 etc. after I am done soldering when the project is up against the wood. There are also a couple heat absorbing liquids or semi liquids that work too.

Humorous thought in reference to someone's comment on Sharkbite's 20 year Life expectancy.
If you went to any plumbing shop and told them you had some strange new self soldering copper for sale at a much higher price, and you could guarantee it would last 20 years...you'd get some strange looks.
We talk of time savings on labor, but I wonder if it isn't more like saving on aggravation.
Hence the "art" of plumbing.

What's odd is I stopped using them, unintentionally. Haven't used one in months and I'm not complaining. The less the better as in respect to liability if they ever leak; I can count on 2 hands the number of times I've used them.

Other insurances in my ways of doing things......number of solvent weld connections on water lines involving CPVC...

I've used them for temporary connections, such as to move the washing machine shut-off away from the cement wall while I build a closet around the washer and dryer. After the new wall was done, I went back, mounted the valve to it and officially soldered the connections. I was also completing the fixtures for a basement bathroom project that I started in Feb. All that was left was to install the toilet shut-off and then I could officially turn the water on for the room. I realized I didn't have the cone to go between the shut-off and the wall so I used a Shark Bite so I wouldn't have to resolder. Picked up a cone a few days later, then completed the valve install.

Personally I wouldn't use them for a final install and certainly wouldn't bury them in a wall. But, that's one man's opinion. They may warranty the part for failure, but who's picking up the bill for the flood damage?